For any students or parents who have watched the bills for higher education burn holes in their pockets, the concept of a tuition freeze should spark a tinge of excitement. At the very least, it would be a break from the contemporary precedent of annual tuition increases, which send masses of students to the bank every year to pull out some last-minute loans.
We as students know well how much the cost of higher education affects our own budgets, but we can’t forget future students as well. Last year, tuition for the 11 universities in the University System of Maryland system went up by 4.5 percent, generating an extra $19 million for the university to play with. Of course, we’re still far more affordable than all those fancy Ivy League universities that charge tens of thousands of dollars more for what is pretty much the same education you get here. But what happens to the average student who suddenly can’t afford our tuition?
I’ll tell you what happens. He or she gets to pick from the other system schools. Not that this should come as any shock to you, but this university is clearly the best state school Maryland has to offer. Shouldn’t it be reasonably available to the people who live here and have the grades? Of course it should.
Once upon a time, this university was a typical state school. If you lived in state and were a decent student who wanted a local and relatively cheap college education, this university was the place for you. Now, though, it’s a safe assumption that many people who enrolled 20 years ago probably wouldn’t end up coming here if they were to reapply today, not just because of their SAT scores but also because of the cost.
That isn’t to say our higher average incoming SAT scores are a bad thing. In fact, it’s great, and with our reputation soaring, the state of Maryland should be proud to be the home of a university so destined for greatness. You’d think, then, it’d also be a little more supportive of keeping it that way. Over the past three or four years, though, governors and legislators have implemented painful budget cuts that keep leaving us stranded. Without enough state funding, tuition hikes for students are the No. 1 way to make up the difference, as tuition and fees currently make up about half of the school’s total annual funding.
So let’s take a risk. What if we just implement a tuition freeze anyway? Students pay more now than ever, and a freeze is long overdue. Besides, the state has grown accustomed to having such a competitive school, and freezing rates would force the government to provide some more well-deserved funding for what is supposed to be a state-sponsored school. That way, our university maintains its standard of living and working but not at the expense (pun intended) of its students.
Late last January, Princeton University decided to cap its annual tuition prices at $33,000 after receiving endowments substantial enough to tide it over for at least another year. One of its self-proclaimed goals in the freeze was to set an example for other like-minded universities to follow. With competitive academic institutions getting richer and tuition continually increasing, there’s a risk that people might begin to lose faith in the higher educational system. Granted, Princeton makes a good deal of money from private donations, but its concept is sound. Plus, with our own academic standards increasing, rumor has it that we’re on our way to becoming on par with some of the top-notch schools in the country. If Princeton can do it, so can we.
Academic reputation aside, this university’s single-biggest selling point is a phenomenal education that is as affordable as it is worthwhile. Shouldn’t we be doing everything in our power to keep it that way?
Laura Caputo is a senior physiology and neurobiology and Spanish major. She can be reached at elsie@umd.edu.
